Press Release

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Governor-Elect Hassan Announces State Negotiating Team

CONCORD – As part of her efforts to ensure a seamless transition process, Governor-Elect Maggie Hassan today announced the members of the state negotiating team who will negotiate contracts with the four unions – the State Employees Association, New Hampshire Troopers' Association, New England Police Benevolent Association, and the New Hampshire International Brotherhood of Teamsters – who represent state employees.

"New Hampshire's state employees work hard every day to serve our citizens," said Governor-Elect Hassan. "Our state negotiating team will work with the representatives of our state employees to reach agreement on a fair compensation package that recognizes their hard work and contributions, while also recognizing the fiscal constraints the state continues to face as we recover from the recession."

The members of the state negotiating team announced are Matt Newland, Manager of Employee Relations for the State of New Hampshire; Tom Manning, Assistant Secretary of State and long-time member of the state negotiating team; Katja Fox, Health Care Specialist, Office of the Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services; Kevin O'Brien, Chief of Policy and Planning at the New Hampshire Department of Safety; Mike Wilkey, Director of Life, Accident and Health at the New Hampshire Department of Insurance and member of the state's Health Benefit Committee; and Sara Willingham, Deputy Director of the State Division of Personnel.

As Governor, Maggie Hassan will bring people together to keep New Hampshire moving forward by focusing on innovation, fiscal responsibility and common-sense solutions to our challenges. Hassan will work with members of both parties to develop a fiscally responsible balanced budget that protects New Hampshire's priorities without an income or sales tax. She will work to implement her "Innovate NH" jobs plan, which focuses on building the best workforce in the country, providing tax credits to businesses, and giving businesses technical assistance to help them create jobs. And Hassan will reach out to legislators and citizens across the state to listen to their ideas on moving New Hampshire forward.